Freak Show
by Deleted-account-517
Summary: Zuko's been able to hide it for so long, so well. But eventually secrets have to come out, and this secret may change the course of the gaang's friendships forever. Especially when Aang is one of the only ones who still supports him.(Neko!Zuko, eventual Zukaang)
1. Chapter 1

A/N: I came up with yet another crazy idea! Haha. I like this one a lot though, I really hope you guys do too. So yea, enjoy!

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><p><strong>Prologue<strong>

A mix changed when they were sixteen and a half years old exactly. Which meant that Zuko's ears and tail appeared to replace his human ears a few days after they opened the Jasmine Dragon in Ba Sing Se. He remembered waking up in the middle of the night, feeling for his ears, only to find fuzzy pointed ones instead if human ones.

Zuko had rushed to the mirror, staring at the black "ears" tipped with white now attached to the sides of his head. He then noticed a slight feeling of movement behind his legs, and turned to investigate. A fuzzy midnight black tail had swayed back and forth behind him.

"What is this?!" Zuko had whispered. He remembered wanting to scream, but decided against it, because he didn't want to wake his uncle. He had sat there in front of the mirror for the rest of the night, pondering what the new objects were, and what to do about them. He had decided that it would be best to pretend everything was normal, which meant he would have to hide the tail in his pant leg or something. Which wouldn't be too hard, but what about the strange ears?

Zuko remembered sneaking out before dawn to see what the vendors might have to help him. He had scuffed up his hair and figured out how to press the ears against his head, so he at least appeared slightly normal. He bought two little clips that he saw girls use to hold their hair back. After claiming that they were for his 'sister', Zuko had rushed back to the Tea shop and slipped the clips in to hold down the ears based on how he had seen Earth Kingdom girls use them. He had to show the new features to his uncle in explanation of why he suddenly had hair accessories in his possession. He remembered hiding them that way until now, when he lost the stupid little clips in his bag somewhere. So that was how he got here. Hiding in his room in the Air temple, ears and tail out, and desperately digging through his bag.

_I really hope no one comes by. _Zuko thought as he dumped the bag out angrily. Of course, the universe just loved using him as a chew toy, because right then Aang turned around the corner.

"Hey Zuko, the Sun Warrior temple yesterday DID help you with your bending, right? Cause I wanted to try the move you- What are those?" Aang stopped talking and asked as soon has he saw Zuko's cat _features. _

"Aang, I can explain!" Zuko exclaimed hurriedly.

"Okay then, explain." Aang said. The monk sat down on Zuko's cot, staring at him expectantly.

"Well, I, uh... Was cursed?" Zuko stammered as he rubbed the back of his neck. Aang looked skeptical.

"Lying's not going to help you. Everyone will figure it out eventually." The airbender in front of him said. The sudden solemn advice from the normally cheerful monk was welcome, although unexpected.

Zuko danced around the actual answer to the question, instead saying softly, "In the Fire Nation I'd either be killed or sold off to some noble as a plaything." He shuddered. The rumors he'd heard about those 'pets' were definitely not pleasant-especially when he was afraid of becoming one of those pets himself.

Aang frowned then exclaimed, "We should show Katara! I bet she'll know what to do!" Zuko found himself being dragged along by the arm to the main clearing.

"Wait Aang, please don't. I- she already hates me, she'll think I'm trying to deceive you or something!" Zuko pleaded.

"You're not trying to trick us, right?" Aang asked. Zuko quickly shook his head. "Then you're fine!" Aang then continued to drag Zuko along behind him.

"What's with the commotion?" Sokka interrupted Zuko protesting as soon as the rounded the corner. The warrior balked as soon as he saw Zuko's ears and tail. Especially the tail.

"What is that?!" Sokka said, pointing at Zuko.

"I have a name." Zuko grumbled. Sokka glared at him, and Zuko guessed that if looks could kill Sokka would have just joined Katara in the mission to end him.

Aang completely ignored the comment, instead asking Sokka hurriedly, "Can you help us find Katara?" Sokka didn't answer, so Aang added in, "Pleeaase?"

While Aang was occupied, Zuko took the chance to tug his arm away and make a run for it... Straight into a certain waterbender who was rounding the corner. Katara, of course, only was pushed against the wall, but Zuko somehow ended up sprawled at her feet.

While he was in this vulnerable position Katara saw his ears and tail.

_Just great. I accidentally slammed her against the wall, and then she discovers my biggest secret that I've been hiding from them, all in one minute. How could this get any worse?_ Zuko thought as he scrambled up from the floor.

Katara's expression of shock changed to one of anger and contempt. The two continued to stare at each other. One pair of golden orbs that showed defeat, and a set of blue eyes that were full of the fury that had caused the fear in the other's eyes. She aproached him slowly, and every step foreword she took Zuko took a step back. That was how Aang and Sokka found them, with Zuko pressed against the wall and Katara glaring at him an inch away from his face.

"Uh, sorry to interrupt, but we sorta have things to do." Sokka said.

"Did you know about this?" Katara asked, taking a step back and turning to face her brother. Zuko remained pressed against the wall, with his tail fluffed up and his ears drooping.

"Neither of us knew until a few minutes ago." Aang answered quickly, as if it would make the situation better.

Katara whipped around to glare at Zuko. "So you've been lying to all of us!" Zuko looked away, willing her to stop staring at him.

"What if he didn't want you to know because he thought you would hate him for it? Right now you're just proving that thought." Sokka said.

Katara laughed. A short, spiteful laugh that reminded Zuko of Azula. "What's the point of that? I wouldn't have hated him for it if he hadn't kept it from us." Then she turned to face Zuko, "But you did lie, and it only proves that you cannot be trusted."

"You want to know why I lied to you? Do you really want to know that bad?" Zuko said. Katara's only answer was a death glare.

"Zuko-" Aang protested. Zuko cut him off when he began to yell at Katara.

"You want to know?! I'LL TELL YOU WHY! I didn't want all of you looking at me like I'm a FREAK just like EVERYONE ELSE, and they just see the scar! Do you know what would happen to me in the FIRE NATION if they saw this?! They'd sell me off as a PET to SOME NOBLE, no matter WHO I am! Do you hate me SO MUCH that you _WANT_ that to happen?"

He stared at Katara, waiting for her to say something, anything, but she only shook her head and sneered at him. The ex-prince balked and shook his head in disbelief. Zuko then collapsed on the ground, shaking as he attempted to keep from sobbing.

Aang and Sokka shared a bewildered look behind him. Neither of them expected Zuko to just outright scream at Katara, much less to start _crying. _They approached him slowly, Aang whispering soft reassurances while Sokka eyed both Zuko and Katara wearily.

Aang kneeled down and placed a hand on Zuko's shoulder, waiting to see if he would be shrugged off. The firebender made no move to pish him away, so the avatar took his chance to wrap Zuko in a comforting hug. Zuko tensed for a moment, and Aang worried that he would be pushed off, but then the prince loosened up and all but _melted _into Aang's embrace.

It was then that Toph rounded the corner. She looked down at Aang and Zuko then back up at Katara.

"You all better have a good explanation of how you _broke _Sparky." She said. Katara seethed in anger and stalked away to brood deeper into the Temple. Aang decided he'd find her later. After he calmed Zuko down. As soon as he figured out what in the name of all the spirits was attached to Zuko's head instead of ears.

**To Be Continued (?)**

A/N: Just clearing this up now, no Katara didn't turn him in or something, but by shaking her head and sneering at Zuko she is co firming that she _does _hate him that much. Just so that is clear.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: I know, I should be working on chapters of Our Pet Prince, Ember Chains, and Not Your Dragon, but I like the idea of Neko!Zuko too much.**

**Songs that describe this story:**

**Unwell by Matchbox Twenty. **

**Freak by The Downtown Fiction.**

** And I'm sorry that I'm making Katara seem like such a b*tch, but it's really necessary for the story. You'll see, I promise.**

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><p>"I'm sorry." Zuko said softly after Aang had guided him back to his room. Aang shook his head and made Zuko sit down on his cot.<p>

"You have nothing to be sorry for, Zuko. Katara will come around." The airbender sat down beside him, wrapping an arm around the other boy's shoulders. "Until then, Toph and I will support you."

"What about Sokka?" Zuko searched the Avatar's eyes for signs of uncertainty, determined to hear the truth but scared of what Aang might say.

"Well, you'll just have make him see this our way, won't you?" Aang declared as got got up from the cot and began to exit the room.

"Aang?" Zuko asked suddenly, and the airbender turned toward him. "...Thank you." The scarred boy's voice was hesitant.

Aang smiled soflty and nodded before exiting the room. Zuko flopped back on the cot, swishing his tail back and forth on the edge. He fought the urge to just curl up and sob.

_Just because half the avatar's little group now hates me, I still can't show that weakness... More than I already have. _Zuko reminded himself. He sighed and rose from the cot, debating wether or not to try to find the stupid little clips that had been the cause of this whole mess.

_I wonder if they would all forget about it if I hid them again. _Zuko snorted. The very thought was ridiculous. _That's doubtful. _

He sat back down on the cot with a sigh, contemplating what could _possibly_ be good about this. Nothing. Katara hated him more now, and Sokka was on the edge of hating him too. And in his fear of being rejected, he had accidentially pitted the avatar against his best friend. No, she wasn't just that. He had accidentially pitted Aang against his almost-girlfriend. Groaning to himself, Zuko held his head in his hands and sighed.

"Ahem." Someone coughed from the door of the room. He jerked his head up, eyes widening when he saw Toph leaning against the door frame. He opened his mouth to say something, but soon decided against it, clamping his mouth shut and biting his tongue.

The little blind girl raised her head to look right at Zuko, flashing a bright smile in his direction. The smile never reached her gray-green eyes. Zuko looked down at his hands, hoping she'd go away or just _say_ something.

"I don't get it Sparky," Zuko lifted his eyes as she spoke, because for once she wasn't joking. "They're so pessimistic. We're all abnormal, heck, we've got the freaking rainbow-loving Avatar walking around this air temple. And yet they go and lose their heads as soon as you show them something they've never seen before."

The blind girl stepped into the room and bent down slightly to be face to face to Zuko on the cot. "So what will you do about it?"

Zuko gaped at her as she flashed him a devious smirk before waltzing out of the room. Toph left him intregued and slightly hopeful as he whipped his tail back and forth nervously.

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><p>After debating with himself for another twenty minutes, Zuko was drifting around the edges of the main courtyard of the Air Temple, clinging like a shadow to the stone pillars that stood a good ten feet from the fire.<p>

Katara had shot a disapproving glare in his direction when he had emerged from his room, but merely scoffed and stalked away to the fire. Sokka had glanced at him nervously, but soon continued to whittle at some piece of wood in his hands. Toph and Aang were nowhere to be seen.

_Probably earthbending somewhere. _Zuko thought. Suddenly Aang came running into the clearing, panting and covered in sweat and dust. Toph walked calmly behind him, shouting that if he didn't run faster then he would do Rock Punches for the next three hours.

Zuko watched silently as Katara lectured Toph on using encouragement as a teaching tool for Aang. The airbender sat down next to Sokka, asking curiously what he was craving. Zuko didn't really listen to either conversation, instead staring nervously at Haru, Teo, and the Duke as they approached the fire. He desperately hoped that they wouldn't bother him, but with the Duke being a child, the odds were slim.

True to his suspicions, the Duke and Teo came racing up to him, leaving Haru to nod at Zuko as he passed.

"What's that?" The Duke asked excitedly, pulling on Zuko's tail. The firebender fidgeted and unsuccessfully tried to gently pull away. The Duke only held his tail tighter, standing up on his tiptoes to peer into Zuko's bewildered eyes.

"It's soft! Where did it come from?" The Duke asked.

Zuko looked away, murmuring, "Well, it was just hidden." He pressed his ears back slightly, turning them towards the campfire when Katara snickered at his weak response.

"Oh, okay." The Duke said, letting go of Zuko's tail and running over to the group.

Zuko stayed by the pillar, not sure if he was welcome or not. He slid his back down the wall, sitting down with his knees up against his chest and his tail wrapped around his legs. Breathing out, he concentrated on regulating heat through his body, pumping fire throughout his chi paths in an attempt to warm himself. Zuko tilted his head up, studying the crumbling bricks of the ceiling and the stars that could be seen to the side of them. He puffed out a cloud of hot air, watching as the steam cooled in the chilly night air.

Ignoring the feeling of loneliness, Zuko tried to ignore Katara as she rather loudly remarked on how secrets lead to betrayal.

Suddenly, Aang was up and next to Zuko by the pillar, causing the mixed-bred teen to jump. "Zuko, come near the fire. It's not like we're gonna kick you out."

"We won't?" Katara snapped. The airbender glared disapprovingly at her over his shoulder before turning back to Zuko and extending a hand. The ex-prince glanced up at him questioningly before taking Aang's hand and letting himself be pulled up to his feet.

Toph shifted over, gesturing for Zuko to sit. It still sort of freaked him out how she knew what was going on so perfectly with just her bending.

...He really shouldn't be judging her about it though. Because it was also strange that with these cat ears he could hear every little whisper Appa made even though the bison what at least twenty feet away.

"Uh, earth to Zuko? Hello?" A voice snapped him out of his reverie. He looked up to see Aang holding out a bowl to him. He murmured an apology and took the bowl, trying his best to ignore the sneer on Katara's face from her spot on the other side of Aang.

He ate the contents of the bowl in silence, listening passively to the others' conversation. They mostly ignored his silence, save for a few skeptical glances from Sokka. Eventually, the fire died down, leaving the group in the chilled night air with only one thing left to talk about. The Duke, Haru, and Teo had already left.

"So. We have some new information, don't we?" Katara growled after a long silence.

Sokka and Aang stared at her apprehensively, but Toph merely scoffed at her. The earthbender, turned toward Zuko. She raised a single eyebrow, looking at him as if she was saying,_ 'Well? I told you.'. _

Zuko lifted his head to stare right back at Katara. He forced himself not to flinch when a mocking smirk appeared on her face. He didn't look aand way when he felt Aang stiffen beside him and he didn't falter when Sokka shifted to frantically throw some water over the fire.

After a minute he replied, "I hardly think I am anything special. Isn't that what you said?"

It was a pathetic comeback. Zuko had heard Toph snort when he said it, laughing at his failed attempt. It didn't really matter though. It kept Katara silent long enough for him to get up and retreat back to his room.

He was almost there when he heard Toph call out, "That's not enough Sparky!" She paused for a moment before yelling, "What are you going to do about it?"

The question echoed in his head, causing his footsteps to pause in the halls of the temple.

_What are you going to do about it?_

He didn't know.

_What are you going to do about it?_

There had to be way to figure it out.

_What are you going to do about it?_

...He'd fight for acceptance, that's what he'd do.


End file.
